Lake Team stood on a sunny hillside overlooking the first pond in the second phase of our survey. Some of us were looking for birds, others listening for frogs, and I was reciting the Shehecheyanu in my mind. Through a pair of binoculars from at least one hundred yards away, Matt spotted a submerged something.
The five minutes allotted for quite observations expired. Matt was seventy five yards ahead of me before I even got started. After four bounding steps, he plunged a hand into the water. When I saw the snapping turtle break the surface of the water, I doubled my pace to the shoreline for data collection on our first capture of the day.
I have learned to give the experts their space to work during our surveys. My plodding steps through the brush or water only serve to scare any wildlife away. After the release of the first turtle, Matt was headed towards the reeds on the right side of the lake. I set my course in the opposite direction.
From the across the lake, I could make out a celebratory fist pump. Two painted turtles with one fell swoop of his net. When he made it back to our group, the excitement on his face spoke more loudly than any words ever could. Matt was born a turtle man.
Highlight: The turtles that I have previously collected blood from were "slow bleeders". Today I modified my technique and the flood gates opened. I collected twice the amount of blood in a few seconds from the turtles than I had in a minute on the previous turtles. Three for three on the first poke today. Viva la one stick streak!
Lowlight: As late as 9:30pm, I was without a lowlight for the day. You and I both know that it was too good to be true. I pray this is the last time that I will have to write the following words. I spilled an ENTIRE bottle of Dif Quick Stain on the lab bench. The stream of profanity that followed was enough to make George Carlin roll over in his grave. From this moment forward, Dif Quick staining of slides is strictly a two hand operation.
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